The objective of this invention is to provide a more simplified and much less awkward connection between the crawler assemblies and base frames of heavy equipment crawler trucks. Heretofore, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,881 and others, replaceable self-contained crawler assemblies are connected with chosen sides of a rectangular truck base frame by utilizing heavy mounting pins which require placement within bored openings of the crawler assembly frames and the base frame. This assembly procedure of the prior art presents serious alignment problems which are costly and difficult to deal with. The heavy mounting pins must also be locked near their opposite ends with locking devices on the crawler assembly frames and the truck base frame.
The present invention entirely eliminates these costly problems of the prior art by providing a simpler, more secure and much more convenient arrangement for connecting the crawler assemblies to opposite sides of the truck base frame. The main operational components including power-operated lower pins of the crawler assemblies are in clear view at the interior sides of the crawler assemblies. The upper mounting pins rest securely in seating notches formed in the side attachment plates of the truck base frame in such a way that no bothersome alignment problem for the lower power-operated reciprocating pins is present after the upper pins have been placed in the seating notches and the crawler assemblies have been allowed to move to their positions for receiving the lower pins. The invention saves a great deal of time and labor in the process of connecting the crawler assemblies to the truck base. The resulting connection is safe and secure and a safety latching means is provided to preclude premature or accidental withdrawal of the lower mounting pins.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art during the course of the following description.